Prequel: History of Valdennia

  In the deep, dark past of the world of Valdennia an alien civilization rose to great heights, extending their reach across the stars to far flung worlds, spreading their empire to other worlds.  And, as with all empires, eventually there was a fall.
  Civilizations collapsed, once great cultures devolved into barbarism and technologies.  The races of Valdennia forgot their former greatness as their civilizations fell into ruin and they lost their knowledge.  Over time the survivors eked out a wretched existence in the wastelands left behind after the collapse of their empires.  The survivors began to band together, pooling what little knowledge they had retained from their ancient forebears.
  The working of the earths metals into weapons seemed to be the one piece of knowledge retained from ancient times across all Valdennia and so the people of Valdennia never fully lost the skills to make war and for many long years they contested among themselves for supremacy of their ancient world.
  At some point in these Dark Ages one of their ancient portals to another world in the universe opened and discharged inhabitants from one of these foreign worlds onto the surface of Valdennia.  These primitive humanoids, although confused about their manner of transportation to this new world, soon adapted to their new surroundings and established several tribes in the forested area where they had arrived on Valdennia and continued to flourish for several decades until they happened upon a tribe of the local inhabitants.
  The local Valdennians being an average of 10 feet in height and armed with swords, spears and axes, easily conquered the smaller 5-6 foot humans who were armed with little more than sharp sticks and clubs.  The Valdennians discovered the appetizing flavor of these two legged cattle from another world and chose not to wipe them out but rather to farm them.
  At some time in these early centuries of contact between humans and the People, horses also arrived on Valdennia, having a major effect on The People when horses were bred for their size.  The culture of the People evolved as they became horse mounted, nomadic tribes.  Tugar, Merki, Bantag and many others, all now join The Ride as they all circle their world, vying for supremacy.

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January 2, 1865
City point, Virginia (major supply and shipment center supporting the Union Army besieging Petersburg and Richmond)

  Colonel Andrew Keane and the 35th Maine with Major Pat O'Donald of the 44th New York Light Artillery boarded the "Oqunquit", commanded by Captain Tobias Cromwell, to travel south for an amphibious assault to the south.  Also on board were nurses from the Christian Sanitation Commission.
  The "Ogunquit" was caught in a wild storm at sea and then 400 miles south west of Bermuda, encountered a strange, blinding light and then somehow traveled through a portal to a strange new, alien land.
  When the passengers and crew awoke after their ordeal they found the "Ogunquit" wrecked on the shore of a strange, freshwater ocean.  Soon enough they encountered the local inhabitants who appeared to be medieval Russians.  When night fell and two moons appeared in the sky, the Yankees knew they were no longer on Earth.